# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 89 — Rāma invites Sītā into the Mandākinī *He urges her to bathe and regard the mountain as Ayodhyā, the river as Sarayū and its animals as citizens* Portion: Bharata approaches Citrakūṭa · Verses: 19 · Ref format: 2.89. ## Sequence - Descending from the mountain, Rāma shows Sītā the river, its waterbirds, flowers, and tree-lined banks (89.1–4) - they see deer drinking and tapasvins bathing or worshipping the sun (89.5–8) - flowers float downstream and birds rise above the water (89.9–11) - Rāma invites Sītā to bathe with him, saying that being there with her seems better than city life (89.12–14) - he asks her to think of the animals as their fellow citizens, the mountain as Ayodhyā, and the river as the Sarayū → with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa beside him, he says he does not long for the Kingdom (89.15–19). ## Verses **2.89.1** atha śailād viniṣkramya maithilīṃ kosaleśvaraḥ adarśayac chubhajalāṃ ramyāṃ mandākinīṃ nadīm Then, descending from the mountain, the lord of Kosala (Rāma) showed the Maithilī (Sītā) the lovely river Mandākinī with its pure waters. **2.89.2** abravīc ca varārohāṃ cārucandranibhānanām videharājasya sutāṃ rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ And lotus-eyed Rāma spoke to the fair-hipped daughter of the king of Videha, whose face was like the lovely moon: **2.89.3** vicitrapulināṃ ramyāṃ haṃsasārasasevitām kusumair upasaṃpannāṃ paśya mandākinīṃ nadīm “Behold the river Mandākinī, with its lovely, wondrous sandbanks, frequented by swans and cranes, and rich with flowers, **2.89.4** nānāvidhais tīraruhair vṛtāṃ puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ rājantīṃ rājarājasya nalinīm iva sarvataḥ encircled on every side by manifold bank-growing trees bearing flowers and fruit, resplendent like the lotus-pool of the king of kings (Kubera). **2.89.5** mṛgayūthanipītāni kaluṣāmbhāṃsi sāmpratam tīrthāni ramaṇīyāni ratiṃ saṃjanayanti me The lovely bathing-places, their waters drunk from by herds of deer and now grown turbid, awaken delight in me. **2.89.6** jaṭājinadharāḥ kāle valkalottaravāsasaḥ ṛṣayas tv avagāhante nadīṃ mandākinīṃ priye Wearing matted locks and antelope-skins, clad in bark upper-garments, the seers, my dear, bathe at the proper time in the river Mandākinī. **2.89.7** ādityam upatiṣṭhante niyamād ūrdhvabāhavaḥ ete 'pare viśālākṣi munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ These other sages, O wide-eyed one, of strict vows, with their arms upraised, worship the Sun as their observance requires. **2.89.8** mārutoddhūta śikharaiḥ pranṛtta iva parvataḥ pādapaiḥ patrapuṣpāṇi sṛjadbhir abhito nadīm With its treetops tossed by the wind, its trees scattering leaves and flowers all around the river, the mountain seems to be dancing. **2.89.9** kaccin maṇinikāśodāṃ kaccit pulinaśālinīm kaccit siddhajanākīrṇāṃ paśya mandākinīṃ nadīm Behold the river Mandākinī — here with waters bright as jewels, there graced with sandbanks, and elsewhere thronged with Siddhas. **2.89.10** nirdhūtān vāyunā paśya vitatān puṣpasaṃcayān poplūyamānān aparān paśya tvaṃ jalamadhyagān See the masses of flowers shaken down by the wind and spread over the water; and see others floating about in the midst of the stream. **2.89.11** tāṃś cātivalgu vacaso rathāṅgāhvayanā dvijāḥ adhirohanti kalyāṇi niṣkūjantaḥ śubhā giraḥ And the birds called cakravāka, of most sweet voice, rise up over those (flowers), O fair one, uttering their lovely cries. **2.89.12** darśanaṃ citrakūṭasya mandākinyāś ca śobhane adhikaṃ puravāsāc ca manye ca tava darśanāt The sight of Citrakūṭa and of the Mandākinī, O lovely one — made the finer by the sight of you — I deem far better than dwelling in the city. **2.89.13** vidhūtakaluṣaiḥ siddhais tapodamaśamānvitaiḥ nityavikṣobhita jalāṃ vihāhasva mayā saha Bathe with me in this river, whose waters are ever stirred by the Siddhas — men purged of impurity, endowed with austerity, self-restraint, and calm. **2.89.14** sakhīvac ca vigāhasva sīte mandakinīm imām kamalāny avamajjantī puṣkarāṇi ca bhāmini And plunge into this Mandākinī as into a friend, O Sītā, submerging the lotuses and water-lilies, O lovely one. **2.89.15** tvaṃ paurajanavad vyālān ayodhyām iva parvatam manyasva vanite nityaṃ sarayūvad imāṃ nadīm Ever regard the wild beasts as the townsfolk, the mountain as Ayodhyā, and this river as the Sarayū, O woman. **2.89.16** lakṣmaṇaś caiva dharmātmā mannideśe vyavasthitaḥ tvaṃ cānukūlā vaidehi prītiṃ janayatho mama And righteous Lakṣmaṇa, ever set upon my command, and you, agreeable, O Vaidehī — you two give me joy. **2.89.17** upaspṛśaṃs triṣavaṇaṃ madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ nāyodhyāyai na rājyāya spṛhaye 'dya tvayā saha Performing my ablutions thrice a day, feeding on honey, roots, and fruit, together with you I long today neither for Ayodhyā nor for the kingdom. **2.89.18** imāṃ hi ramyāṃ gajayūthalolitāṃ nipītatoyāṃ gajasiṃhavānaraiḥ supuṣpitaiḥ puṣpadharair alaṃkṛtāṃ na so 'sti yaḥ syān na gatakramaḥ sukhī Beholding this lovely river, stirred by herds of elephants, its water drunk by elephants, lions, and monkeys, adorned by well-blossomed flowering trees — there is none who, on coming to it, would not be made happy. **2.89.19** itīva rāmo bahusaṃgataṃ vacaḥ priyā sahāyaḥ saritaṃ prati bruvan cacāra ramyaṃ nayanāñjanaprabhaṃ sa citrakūṭaṃ raghuvaṃśavardhanaḥ Thus speaking such well-fitting words to the river, Rāma, with his beloved as companion — that increaser of the Raghu line — roamed the lovely Citrakūṭa, dark-bright as the collyrium of the eyes.